Waning Daylight: The Other Side
by The Raging Blue Flame
Summary: By the mid-1950s the diesel had overthrown the steam engine on nearly every railway and Southern Pacific Railway was no different. As the remaining steamers do their best to cope and prepare for their own demises, a new face enters the scene, fresh from the La Grange Facility. And though the diesel life seems grand and worry free, she soon learns that the other side isn't as green.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1 – A New Era_

* * *

_Los Angeles Union Station – Taylor Yard, January 4, 1955_

The young man stared at the massive machine before him. His hazel eyes gazing at the smooth curves of her body and mint condition Daylight livery free of any dirt, nicks, or blemishes. Oh and that face! Dazzling orange eyes framed in thick eye lashes, with thin, but perfectly manicured eyebrows, and luscious lips painted a vibrant red. Were she not 14ft tall and weighed several hundred tons, the man would have mistaken her for a human female. He lifted his hat off his head and ran a hand through his dark hair.

She was beautiful sure, but she hadn't said a word since she had arrived to the yards a few hours ago. Her sharp, sunset gaze was stuck looking straight ahead, her red lips forming a straight line with a soft, but stern frown gracing her delicate features. She was intimidating and the man hadn't felt this way since he was back in Germany shooting Nazis in the dead of winter in the middle of the night. Despite that, she was his engine now and every driver had to have a good handle on his engine.

He chewed on his lip for a bit as he contemplated what to say. "Uh… so… what's your name?"

"I am engine 20100, an EMD E9, the newest line of passenger engines." The diesel began in a monotonous tone. "I am 9th out of the nine diesels built for the Southern Pacific Railway in December of last year. My road number is 6051. My job is to pull passenger trains along the California coastline and wherever else my railway sends me while maintaining the standards set not only by SP, but by EMD as well."

Her driver stared at her with an eyebrow raised. He wasn't really sure how to respond to that. He had been warned by his co-workers that most EMD engines were like this at first, robotic and lacking any emotion. Though they were built to work and not socialize, it was still quite odd that these new diesel engines lacked any personality unlike their steam-based counterparts. He had to admit that it was a little creepy and unnatural, even if she was a talking machine with a face. "Right… but what's your name?"

The young diesel frowned and finally broke her gaze to look at her driver. He wore a pair of faded blue overalls with a white t-shirt underneath. Thick looking brown gloves covered his hands. His face was youthful but it looked like he had been through some sort of hardship. The marks on his face where hair refused to grow hinted as much. "I… I am engine number 20100, my road number is 6051." She answered.

"Yeah, you've told me as much but those are numbers. A name consists of letters, Miss. For example, my name is David."

The E9 stared at her human blankly. It was clear she didn't have the answer he requested and it worried her greatly. "I… I'm sorry sir… I don't know what that is." She had listened closely to everything the men at the La Grange Facility had told her. She knew her history, what her tasks were, and what she was but she didn't know her name. She didn't even know if she _had_ a name. She was built to be the perfect passenger engine and she had failed at that already. The man's sudden laughter snapped her from her thoughts and she looked down in embarrassment. First day on the job and she had already soiled her manufacture's good name.

"Seems the guys down at EMD didn't teach you everything Missy, they didn't even name you properly! But that's alright, I got one for you."

The engine's expression brightened significantly. "Really? You do?!"

Her driver nodded. "Yeah… How does the name Alexis sound to you?"

She didn't need to be asked twice and bounced on her axles with joy. "Yes, I like that name!"

"Good then from now on, you'll be known as Alexis around here. Not engine 20100. All of the engines here have names. You may be a machine, but you're worthy of a name as much as any human. Besides, your passengers will find calling you by number a bit degrading." David donned his hat once more and approached his newly named E9 and gave her side panels a gentle pat. "Alright Missy, let's get you to your train."

Alexis looked on in wonder at the orange and red coaches with white lining along the windows. The gleamed brightly in the rising sunlight and she had never seen something so beautiful in her life.

"Ain't they pretty, girl?" David asked as they rolled past the train.

"They're magnificent!"

Her driver simply chuckled as she backed into the coaches, coupling up to them with ease. She released the breath she had been holding and felt herself calm down a little. Her first trip to San Francisco and her first time pulling a train, how exciting! And a little scary, she _had_ to do well. She had to impress and make her bosses proud. She had a reputation to uphold! She watched as her passengers walked by to board her train. The amount of people showing up made her nervous. She wondered if her train was long enough to accommodate such crowd or if she could even pull it. What if she couldn't? What if she pulled too hard and broke a coupler or a brake line snapped or she ruined her traction motors? The E9 gasped as a horrible though fluttered into her mind. What if she _wheel slipped_?! There would be nothing more embarrassing than that!

While she was freaking out, a pair of children had approached the train to gaze a fresh E9 in all of her glory, even though she was having a mental break down. Their playful laughter and the feel of their small hands on her pilot caught her attention. She smiled softly at the teeny tiny humans before their adult female supervisor herded them away. There was something about the smiling faces of children that always warmed an engine's heart. It was some sort of internal instinct that they were all built with. Maybe it was the awe in a child's eyes at the amazement of seeing something so much bigger than them or an engine seeing a human so small. Whatever it was, it somehow made Alexis feel better.

The sudden sound of the conductor's whistle blowing made her jump slightly. She knew what that sound meant and all her doubts flooded back into her mind. This was it, the big moment she had spent an extra month preparing for. Her engine roared as her driver gently increased her throttle, she blew her air horn a few times, signaling her departure. The E9 took a few deep breaths before making her way out of the station, bound for the Golden City of San Francisco.

Though the passengers may have been enjoying the ride, the new engine pulling them along was freaking out. Everything was going by so fast once they were out in the open, the warm California wind in her face, the sound of her wheels rolling along the track. It was all so very new, and very, very scary. She made attempts to duck when she went through tunnels, only to freak herself out further when she realized she couldn't, yet somehow cleared the small opening without a scratch. The loud booming sound she made when she entered one made her jump every time. Her driver merely laughed. An engine's first run always made for good entertainment.

David patted her side gently, "Steady girl. We'll be in Salinas soon, look sharp."

The young E9 looked ahead of her to see the shape of what could very well be a town of sorts. As she grew closer, she applied her breaks until she was at a full stop, just in the right place. She waited patiently as her passengers departed or boarded, making sure to smile when they thanked her. While she waited to leave, she took the time to observe her surroundings. It was quiet, quieter than the noise of hustle and bustle back in Los Angeles. It appeared to be cleaner as well. She wondered what life was like in the suburbs. At the same time, she wondered what life would be like in San Francisco. Was it any different than LA? What were the engines like there? As the conductor's whistle blew and her bell chimed, she realized she was only a few stops away from finding out.

"Why is it red?"

"Hmm?"

"The bridge, why is it red?"

David looked about the station after he stepped out to bid their passengers farewell with the rest of the train's workers before heading off to the roundhouse. The man soon realized what she meant as he noticed an ad featuring the Golden Gate Bridge. He chuckled, "Because if it were gold, the paint would wear faster."

"Then why not call it the Red Gate Bridge?" his engine asked.

"Because this is the _Golden_ State, not the Red State."

"Golden State?"

He simply laughed again, "I'll explain when we get to the yards."

Alexis froze and instantly became nervous. The yards… there would be other engines there. Though the LA yard was large and there were lots of other engines, she hadn't the chance to really interact with them, and they didn't seem interested in interacting with her. Would the ones at the San Francisco yard be any different? Would they ignore her too or would they be friendly? The diesels at the LaGrange plant were unfriendly at best, her E9 sisters included. Would they be there now? There was only one way to find out.

The Mission Bay Roundhouse was big and loud with the sounds of engines and workmen going about their daily life. There were steam engines and diesels of all shapes and sizes with a bit more variety than the yard in LA. And like the Los Angeles yard, it was segregated, however some dared to interact with each other and from the looks of it, it wasn't a pleasant conversation. The young diesel decided to continue onwards towards the roundhouse, she wasn't one for confrontation. Along the way she noticed three odd looking diesels. They were E-units like her, but a little longer, possibly E7s, but that wasn't the odd part. The odd part was their liveries. Rather the traditional Daylight colors, they were red and white with the words "SOUTHERN PACIFIC" in bold black font letters and framed in silver on their sides. One even had the Daylight colors on her face, but not on the rest of her. It was a bizarre look indeed.

"Hey, you're new right?"

Alexis froze once more and looked over to see that hybrid was addressing her. The engine was wearing a warm, friendly smile, something she had not yet experienced from her other "sisters." She watched as the other two smiled as well, their carmine eyes warm and welcoming.

"Yes _you_," the hybrid said to her again. "Get over here!"

The E9 swallowed nervously but did as she was told and went over to the trio. Stopping on the turntable, she took the time to scan the roundhouse. It was about as big as the one in LA and filled with diesels dressed up in the classic Daylight livery, however she couldn't help but notice that some looked a little different. They were longer in the front and little less curvy and boxier than the E-units. They all appeared to be male as well which made her realize that she hadn't seen any male E-units back home or in LA. It made her wonder once more. The feel on the turntable moving caused her to jump in surprise. It was odd being spun around in such a way and she briefly wished she were more like a car, it would surely save time and possibly money. She stayed quiet as she backed into the berth in-between the hybrid and one of the others.

"You're quieter than the other E9s," the hybrid continued. "Not sure if that's good or bad."

"At least she doesn't have an attitude like the others," one of the others added, "The other E7s included."

"What's your name, new girl?"

"Um… it's Alexis." She answered timidly.

"Alexis huh? Sounds kinda sassy but I like it! How'd you get a name like that?"

The E9 blushed, "M-My driver named me."

The three bizarre E7s awed in unison. "How cute." One said.

"I'm Mariah, by the way." The hybrid E7 revealed, "And these are my sisters Marilyn and Marigold. We're Golden State E7s, the only three to be painted red and white. However _I'm_ the only one with the hybrid scheme."

"Golden State?" Alexis asked, "What's that?"

"One of SP's passenger trains," Marilyn answered. "It's a train we share with Rock Island. We take it from LA to Tucumcari and then they take it the rest of the way to Chicago."

"So you're _not_ Daylights?"

The three diesels gasped in shock, "Nonsense!" Marigold exclaimed. "Of _course_ we're Daylights! We're _Golden State_ Daylights, to be exact."

"We're better than Daylights." Mariah added, "We're different and creative and gorgeous to boot."

Alexis mutter a small "Oh," but said nothing else. She hadn't been informed that there were different _types_ of Daylights. The lapse in her knowledge made her feel uneducated, but the Golden State E7s didn't seem that offended. Her eyes looked up as she saw something on the turntable; it was one of those long-nosed, boxy diesels. There was something… alluring about his shape despite the lack of curvature. Her wide, orange eyes watched as he was turned, unaware all of her staring had caught his attention. It was only when the other diesel winked at her that she snapped back into reality. Blushing profusely, she looked away and it didn't go unnoticed by the E7s.

"Yeah, I was like that too when I saw my first PA." Mariah grinned.

"What are they?" Alexis asked sheepishly.

"They're Alco's response to us E7s. They're Alco PAs. That one in particular is Antony, one of the newer versions, a PA-2."

"He's hot, isn't he?" Marigold asked.

"All they're good for really. They're not any stronger than us. Hell, without GE they wouldn't exist! Still… they are good for a nice winding down after a long day."

"Marilyn knows _all_ about that."

The diesel in question simply rolled her eyes at the comment. Alexis however, went back to watching the strange diesel once he couldn't meet her gaze again. She had to admit, they were kind of cute.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2 – Learning Curves_

'_Know your place.'_

* * *

"What are those?"

Mariah followed her little sister's gaze as they sat at the fuel pump. Her eyes soon rested on a group of F7s in their traditional Black Widow scheme. They were an odd group of diesels, always hanging amongst themselves. They resembled Alexis and the other E-units somewhat in overall shape, aside from their colorless eyes and dark makeup. She had seen some in San Francisco and even in Chicago, but never bothered to interact with them. She figured they'd be just like the others… unfriendly. It had been a few weeks since the E9 entered service and she was steadily learning the ropes, with her Golden State sisters as her mentors. Though she was still very much an outcast among the others, that feeling was nonexistent when she was with them.

The E7 chuckled, "Those, little sister, are F7s. They're freighters, but are assigned to passenger trains as well. They're direct descendants to Gwen."

The young E9 frowned with confusion, "Gwen?"

Her lack of knowledge had caused another laugh out of her older sister. "My, you must have been asleep during your history lessons! Gwen is an FT, a dual diesel like those F7s. Everyone calls her "The Diesel that Did it" because she alone was able to prove to the humans that a diesel can do exactly what a steamer can do. Diesels like you and I aren't made for freight, but the F-units can do it with ease. She _killed steam_ as they say. Some of us can even run without drivers, meaning we're cost efficient. Those diesels are the cabless b-units."

"Where's Gwen now?"

"Last I heard she's working for SR, the Southern Railway. They're lucky to have such a marvelous machine and I hope I can see her for myself someday… I have so many questions!" Before her sister could respond Mariah went on to say, "The F-units are stronger than us, so be respectful. They are also EMD diesels so treat them as you would treat me or any of our sisters."

Alexis gave a mere sound of agreement. All this new information was beginning to become a bit overwhelming. There were so many things she didn't know, things she should have known but her creators failed to tell her. If this Gwen was as wondrous as everyone claims her to be, then Alexis wanted to meet her too! She too wanted to know what the diesel that killed steam was like. Was she nice, mature? She knew that the SR and the SP went to New Orleans, so maybe one day...

"Well baby sister; it's time I head down to the southwest with the Golden State Limited." Mariah announced, "Be a good girl and I'll see you in a few days, alright?"

The E9's merit faded, she hated when her sister had to go. "Ok Mariah, have a safe trip."

"Of course dear sister."

Alexis sighed. She was alone now with no one to talk to. In truth, she never bothered to talk to anyone but the Golden State diesels, Mariah specifically. Oh well, maybe she could get to know one of those square-shaped diesels before it would be her turn to leave. Her eyes scanned the yards for one, but they all seemed to be with others, in little cliques that she'd probably never be part of. Another sigh escaped her; she didn't like being alone.

However the feeling didn't last long as she felt something or someone near her. Looking up, she realized what had pulled in next to her. It was an Alco PA, and not any PA. It was the one she had been caught staring at more times than she should the past few days. His flame colored eyes stared back at her and his lips were curled into a smile. "Hey," he purred.

Alexis' cheeks quickly began to warm and she was overcome with shyness again. "Umm... hello."

"You're that new E9 aren't you? I'm Antony, an Alco PA-2."

"I'm Alexis, it's a pleasure."

"How are you enjoying the more sophisticated life as a diesel?"

"Um… I guess it's fine? I've never known any other kind of life so…"

The Alco diesel chuckled in response and it left Alexis somewhat confused. What an odd thing to say. Though she had to admit that she liked the low rumble of his voice, it was oddly soothing. Like the sound of a heavy freight train off in the distance. Not loud enough to keep you up and annoy you, but loud and low enough for you to hear. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sound only to open them again when he spoke, pulling her back to reality.

"You ever pulled the Lark?"

She blinked up at him, "What?"

"The _Lark_," Antony repeated before deciding to elaborate further. "It's the night version of the Daylight, goes down the same route too. It goes slower as well being it an overnight train. Often the F7s take the Lark but tonight it's my turn. My brother Apollo is out of service for the time being and I thought maybe you could join me?" he grinned a little. If Alexis knew any better and had more experience, she would have picked up on his tone and the mischievousness in his flame-colored eyes.

But since she didn't, she smiled ignorantly in return and blew her horn eagerly. "Yes, yes of course I'll help you!"

"Great. The train leaves at 9 so be early. If you're good I'll even let you lead me. See you then, Ally."

Her orange eyes followed him as he left before revving her engine happily. She never pulled a night train before. In fact, she'd never pulled anything but the Daylight and a few regional trains so far. _And_ she was double heading, with a PA-2 no doubt. Something else she hadn't done yet, was it common to mix engines like that? She didn't know, but she felt lucky somehow. She couldn't wait to tell Mariah about her overnight journey. She'd be so proud.

The Third Street Station was alive with people waiting to board that night as they chatted amongst themselves about whatever on the platform, their breaths creating puffs of smoke in the chilly San Francisco air. Alexis watched the action of an adjacent track while Lady gathered coaches. The little switcher moving up and down the middle track with a gray-scaled version of the Daylight coaches, they were plain but had a strangely classy feel to them. Still they didn't compare to their brighter colored counterparts.

"Ready for you big night run, girl?" David asked as he stroked his engine's side.

"We're here early!" Alexis responded, her eyes following Lady as she went to fetch the rest of the train. "But yeah, I'm ready. Hey David, why is the Lark gray? Shouldn't it be… nicer looking?"

The man inside her cab chuckled, "It's a nighttime train, girl. No need for bright and flashy colors. No one's going to see it."

The E9 frowned but understood, but she still had more questions. "What's that nasty mixed train that runs on the San Joaquin Daylight line at night?"

"You mean the Owl?"

"Is that what it is? Do you think they'll put me on it?"

"Heh… probably not. You pull luxury trains, not second class trains. They leave those to steamers and the freight diesels, although you do see F7s on the Lark from time to time. Now enough chatter, your man's here so let's get coupled up!"

Antony grinned as Alexis backed into him to couple up. He usually wasn't one to play second engine to anyone; he was even less willing to allow an E-unit to lead him. However he'd made an exception for her, and as his eyes roamed all over her back end, he was certain he made the right choice. She was a wonderful piece of mid-west engineering indeed. He could stare at it all night and knowing that he was about to made his decision all the more fruitful. Alexis on the other hand, felt uncomfortable. She could feel his eyes on her even though she didn't know if he actually was staring at her back door. The uneasy feeling only got worse as they departed the station and rolled off into the night towards Burlingame and then Palo Alto.

Her discomfort gradually melted away as she traveled along the line she had become familiar with it. Seeing the bay at night was always something Alexis enjoyed, especially on clear nights when the moon was out. Unfortunately her view of such beauty was robbed from her when they entered Salinas. She felt David pat the side of her cab when the station master approached him. She tried to tune in to what they were saying but all she heard was her own motor and the sounds of passengers boarding and departing. A worried frown graced her youthful features when she picked up on David groaning loudly. Whatever the man had told him wasn't good, that was for certain.

Once their conversation was done Alexis spoke up, "What's wrong, David?"

"There's no engine available to assist with the grade." Her drive answered, "We're gonna have to go it alone, damn it…"

"Ooo…" Antony said, "How fun."

"Hardly, you're no helper engine and neither is Alexis so this'll be a pain in the ass." David sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose.

And boy would it be. Most trains going up the steep grade on their way to and from San Luis Obispo required the assistance of second engine and the Lark was no different. A passenger diesel wasn't strong enough to tackle it on its own and it probably wouldn't be any better with two of them going at it at once. Alexis discovered that the hard way a week ago with the Daylight and it put her in the shops. She swallowed nervously. She didn't want to go through that again.

The journey toward the Cuesta Grade was met with a mix of caution, hesitation, and fear on the E9's part. It was quiet save for the sound of the train rolling along. The moon had been shielded by a thick layer of clouds, leaving only Alexis' mars light and glowing eyes to light up the path ahead. Antony did his best to reassure her that the two of them could climb the grade without the need of a helper thanks to his extra 250 horsepower, something the earlier PA units lacked. Alexis simply rolled her eyes and kept quiet. His minute boost in horsepower wasn't going to be enough to get them up the grade. She had more pulling power than him anyway.

The train suddenly felt heavier than it once was and it made her jerk backwards. What felt like nothing suddenly felt like she had a dead line of Big Boys behind her. She could hear the groan from the PA-2 as he too was having trouble. That 250 extra horsepower clearly wasn't enough to get them up this grade, but what could they do? David opened her throttle to give her more power. Exhaust plumed from her stacks and her engine roared. After a few minutes of struggling the train halted, barely moving more than a few inches if that. Alexis let out a heavy sigh before making another go and wound up losing the little ground she had gained. Sparks flew from the two engine's wheels as they turned uselessly against the tracks. Still the two kept pulling as they struggled for traction. Smoke shot out in a thick, dark cloud until her motor spluttered and gave out; the lights from her headlight and eyes flickered and went dark. Alexis gasped; she had stalled.

"Alexis, what are you doing?" Antony called to her, "Go!"

David swore and quickly tried to get her engine started again but was unsuccessful. They had no other choice but to reverse back down and wait for some sort of assistance. Alexis looked ahead sadly as she rolled away slowly. She could have sworn she heard the passengers complaining and if she wasn't, she knew she would once they came to a stop. She felt horrible for letting them down, for not being strong enough. Once they were back on even track, her driver and brakeman stepped out to asses whatever damage there may be and overall check to see if she was alright.

"Are you alright, little lady?" David asked.

Alexis kept her eyes on the ground and was quiet for a few minutes, "It happened again…" The disappointment in her voice was evident.

He sighed, "I know girl. I - - Damn… I don't know what's wrong with you. The workmen didn't find anything out of the ordinary. I guess I'll take you back to the shops anyhow when we get to LA. I called dispatch and they're sending in an engine from San Jose so it'll be a while."

"Ok…" she didn't say much else and stayed silent after her crew left her to try to start her engine again. All she could do was think of when she had stalled the last time a few weeks ago, and in the same place but coming from the other direction. She was with Monica and was grateful for that. The older E7 was kind enough to keep it between the two of them, but Antony? She wasn't sure if he'd tell or not and she didn't have the drive to ask him. The young E9 sighed heavily; if the SP bosses found out that this happened again they'd send her back to EMD or scrap her for sure. Her buggy build was why she had been delayed for nearly a month after all…

Her orange eyes snapped up as she heard a distant whistle from behind her; it wasn't that far away either. It was a low, rumbling sound and it echoed throughout the valley. Based on its octave, she could assume it was something big, bigger than her or Antony at least… a big _steam_ engine. The whistle went off again and it wasn't much longer before the engine arrived on the scene. Alexis' lights came back on just as the engine coupled up to the back of the train, the force traveling all the way towards the front, causing the two diesels to move forwards a little. After a few good shoves from the steam engine, they began to move. The coaches groaned as their wheels started to turn and climb the hill again. Alexis was surprised by the engine's strength; she had thought she'd be stronger than many steam engines but her theory was obviously incorrect. Why else would her kind be replacing them?

No sooner did they begin their climb they started going downhill; the Lark jerking slightly as the helper did its part in keeping the train from turning into the runway. Accidents, and deaths, had occurred on this grade in the past and no one wanted to repeat history. Once the train reached San Luis Obispo, the steam engine was brought around to the front to assist the rest of the way. Alexis watched with wide eyes as the engine pulled up alongside her. She had been correct; it was a big engine, a 4-8-4 Northern type by the looks of it. Painted all black in the War Baby scheme and lacking any or very little makeup. Alexis wasn't quite sure. But what stood out the most were her eyes; they were sky blue in color and unlike any of the engines on the SP line. Most engines had variations of orange, red, or yellow and the freight engines had silver eyes, but not this one for some reason. Perhaps she was, or had been, special somehow?

"Erika, baby…" Antony said slyly. "I figured it was you."

The steam engine in question let out a huff, her piercing blue eyes glaring in the direction of the PA-2. However, she chose to hold her tongue for now. There was work to be done and no time to chat. With a hiss from her cylinders and a few blasts of her whistle, Erika set off to switch tracks and couple up to the front of the train. The trip was dead silent the rest of the way although the big steam engine stated her opinion on the matter after they arrived in Los Angeles that morning once the rather grumpy passengers had gone and the train had been disassembled for servicing. Alexis was on her way to the maintenance yard when Erika approached her from an adjacent track.

"I'd like to thank you making me have to get up and come all they out to the middle of nowhere to help you," she began coldly. "It's a shame that _new generation of railroading_ can't even go up a simple hill without stalling. It's even worse that it was a passenger train. It's disgraceful to the railway and those who once pulled such prestigious trains such as the Lark. Still…" she smiled ever so slightly, and it wasn't a friendly one. "I thank you for breaking down, as your kind is prone to do. Were it not for your poor craftsmanship I wouldn't have been able to prove that the steam engine is still worthy of passenger service. Hopefully the railroads will realize that cheaper _isn't_ better and send your oily kind back to switching duties where you belong."

The E9 was dumbfounded; she didn't know what to say. But when she did the GS-4 had already left. David patted the side of his engine sympathetically but she paid it no mind. All Alexis wanted to do was go to the furthest slot in the maintenance yard's roundhouse and sulk. What a horrible, horrible day! Unfortunately for her, she found no solace there for the place was full of engines and at the far end were two of her E9 sisters, talking among themselves, but that changed once they spotted her approaching.

"Well, well, well," one of them began. "If it isn't the _dud_, you're a little late to _just_ be coming in with the Lark aren't you?"

"Over _two hours_ late." The other added. "But you are known for being tardy, little sister."

Alexis frowned at them, "We had trouble getting up the hill because we didn't have a helper." She explained, "It has nothing to do with…. To do with _that_!"

"Oh it has _everything_ to do with that. Isn't that right, Alison?"

"Alyssa is exactly right." The other sister chimed in. "You're a dud and it's amazing you even got here in the first place. And because of your inability to function like a proper EMD diesel, you've tarnished EMD's name as well as the Southern Pacific's."

"Oh will you two shut the hell up."

The three E units looked in the direction of the voice. A few slots down sat Marigold. Alexis' sisters glared back at the E7 but she held her ground. "You act like neither of you have had any misfortune and you and I both know that's _not_ the case. Now shut those holes in your faces before I have the both of you attached to the next Golden State train." A grin formed on her face, "I hear the AC-9 sisters Lamia and Liltu will be at the helm today, and you know how they feel about diesels."

Alexis didn't know what an AC-9 was but whatever it was, it was enough to shut her sisters up as their eyes filled with fear and they retreated further back into their berths. Once the bullies had gone Marigold invited Alexis to slide into the empty slot next to her. "Alright little sister, from now on you don't engage with those Daylight airheads. They try to provoke you, ignore them."

The young diesel smiled a little, "Thank you… and I'll try."

"No don't try, _do_. Antony told me what happened… well he told pretty much everyone, but don't let it get to you. We all stall and break down every now and again. Speaking of which… guess why I'm here!"

"Did you stall too?" Alexis raised her eyebrows curiously.

"Pff no!" Marigold rolled her eyes and laughed. "I've never stalled. Damn kids were on the side of the tracks throwing rocks at me when I was leaving with the Golden State. Was barely out of the yard too, that's why they gave it to the AC-9s. Little bastards broke my windows, dented my left side, and knocked my driver out too! Luckily I wasn't going that fast and the brakeman was inside." She frowned worriedly. "I hope Bryan's OK…"

Alexis cringed, "That sound awful and scary."

"Oh sure, but it's nothing like the Sunset Limited line."

"The Sunset Limited?"

"Yup, one of the railway's oldest trains. I'd rather pull the City of San Francisco than thing, let me tell you. That thing is - -" The sound of an air horn being blown drowned her out a pulled her attention elsewhere. The E7's eyes lit up once she saw whom the honking horn belonged to. A PA in Daylight colors rolled onto the turntable and made his way towards Marigold. Alexis thought it was Antony but his road number read "6009" rather "6030."

The diesel looked at her with worried eyes, his tone gentle as he spoke. "Mari, are you alright? I heard you were in the shops and I rushed over and - -"

"Adrian, calm down." Marigold replied with a chuckle and a gentle smile. "I'm fine. Just a bit dented up… with a few broken windows…"

"It was those damn kids again wasn't it?"

"Uh huh, but I'm fine. I'll be out of here by tomorrow."

He smiled back at her, "Good. I think I nearly broke my rear coupler when I found out, I shot out of the station so fast."

"Don't be silly. It takes more than a few dozen rocks to do some real damage to me."

Alexis watched quietly as the two diesels were off in their own little world. The pair laughed among themselves and Marigold pressed her forehead against Adrian's, nuzzling him gently. A soft, low purring sound came from the PA-1's engine as he enjoyed the gesture and returned it. The sound made Alexis blushed and she looked away, but wasn't sure why she did. It was a strangely comforting sound, kind of like Antony's laugh. Despite her best efforts to mind her own business, her gaze landed on them again when their lips touched. Her cheeks reddened further. She didn't know what they were doing or why but it seemed pleasant to say the least.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 – Bourbon in Your Eyes_

'_You're so... Mmm...'_

* * *

"So then Adrian went up to Marigold and smashed his face against hers. It was… _bizarre_."

Mariah could only laugh loudly as she listened to her baby sister's story. Her naïveté was too much sometimes and oh so very cute. Alexis looked up at her with a worried frown as she wasn't sure what was so funny. Was she missing something? Her orange eyes widened in surprise when the E7 presses her face against hers, nuzzling her. Alexis blushed profusely and froze. She didn't know what was going on or _why_ her sister decided to get so close to her all of a sudden. Strangely enough, the overbearing gesture was comforting, and her sister's face was warm and soft.

"You're absolutely adorable Ally." Mariah said softly and backed off. "I do love having you for a sister. You're a true breath of fresh air!"

_Love_.

Alexis had heard that word once before. "What's that mean?"

"What's what mean?"

"Love. You said you loved having me for a sister."

Mariah laughed again, "Love, you silly girl, is a very strong emotion. It means you like something… or someone very, very much. When it comes to others, it means you feel all warm and happy inside when they're near you; when they spend time with you. They do things and act in a fashion that you admire. What you saw Adrian and Marigold do is an example of just that."

"What _were_ they doing?"

"Kissing, it's something you do with the one you love."

"Oh…" was all Alexis said in response. Once again she was rendered speechless by her own lack of knowledge. She let out a small sigh. Though her big sister may have found her ignorance cute, Alexis found it irritating and unfitting for an engine of her stature. She could only hope that one day she'd figure all of this out, hopefully sooner than later.

* * *

_El Paso, TX – June 1955_

Alexis surveyed her surroundings as she backed into the roundhouse next to her sisters. There were quite a few diesels here, some from her own line, some from the Santa Fe, and some from a few railways she didn't recognize. El Paso was where SP switched engines on the Sunset and where the Golden State went towards New Mexico to be handed over to the Rock Island. Luckily for her, the end of the line for her was here in El Paso. PAs were the ones who took the Sunset the rest of the way to New Orleans. So far the trip hadn't been so bad. Yeah, she had to traverse through miles of southwestern desert in the sweltering late spring sun, but that didn't seem like the worst thing that could have happened. When the announcement was made that an E9 would be needed to pull the Sunset back in Los Angeles the entire roundhouse gasped in horror. Her E9 sisters had been rattled with fear. She let out a light chuckle; what was everyone so worked up over about this line anyway? As she settled down for a midday nap, the yard master came in and addressed the Southern Pacific engines.

"Alright you lot, listen up. The boys who were supposed to be taking the Sunset the rest of the way were needed elsewhere so one of you lovely ladies will need to pull it to New Orleans. We have two b-units already ready to go. We just need an a-unit to lead."

The Southern Pacific Daylight diesels recoiled in horror, Alexis was too tired to really grasp what was going on and yawned in response.

"Take it to New Orleans?" Alyssa repeated. "That's ridiculous! That's a PA's job, not an E-unit's! Put one of those crappy F-units on the train!"

"We're not putting an F-unit on the Sunset. It has to be one of you, now who's gonna do it?"

"Hell I'll do it." Marilyn offered flatly.

The yard master shook his head, "You have your own train coming in."

"Cotton Belt has two PA-1s, make _them_ do it." Alyssa ordered. "Back water engines should pull a back water train. It's the perfect combination." The others seemed to agree with her. The yard master simply rolled his eyes and continued to explain the situation.

Among the commotion, Alexis chimed in. "I'll do it."

The man smiled, "Thank you Alexis. Your train is waiting for you at the station."

The SP diesels stayed quiet until he left. Alyssa looked at her sister with a mix of shock and fear. She wasn't sure if she was that bold or that stupid enough to take the Sunset all the way. "Woman… are you _crazy_?! Why would you agree to such a thing?"

Alexis arched a brow at her. "What's wrong with that? It's our job to help out whenever and wherever we can when not doing our own work."

"You… you've never _been_ to the south have you?"

"No…"

"Oh well that explains _everything_! First of all, welcome to the south! I hope you're enjoying the terrible weather because it'll only get worse the deeper you go. Between Texas and Louisiana lie miles and _miles_ of swampland. Do you know what that is? It's nature's dumpster as far as I'm concerned. It's hot and smelly with horrible creatures lurking in that disgusting water, their little eyes watching you intently."

The young E9's eyes widen with fear, "C-creatures?"

"Yes, large reptiles that'll do some damage if it's big enough."

Taking notice that her baby sister was now cowering in fear, Marilyn decided to intervene. "There _is_ an upside to pulling the Sunset. One so great it outweighs the horrors of pulling that damn train."

"And what would that be?" Alyssa arched a brow, giving off a sense of being intrigued and doubtful.

"_He's_ down there, the stainless steel E5 himself."

Alexis didn't seem to get it as her fearful expression melted into confusion. Her sister on the other hand, knew all too well whom the E7 was referring to and her orange eyes lit up with joy. "That's right…"

"Who?" Alexis butted in, "Who's there?"

"_Chief_."

Alexis stared at her sister blankly in response.

Alyssa rolled her eyes, "My God you're an idiot. _Chief!_ The E5 of the Fort Worth and Denver Railway, he's made of stainless steel that glistens in the sun! He's beautiful."

"Wait aren't _all_ E5s made of stainless steel?"

"Shush girl! The E5 is one of the most glamorous E unit's ever made… aside from the Daylights of course."

"I've seen him once," Marilyn added with a grin. "He's really cute. His b-unit isn't bad either and not many say that about a b-unit. The south itself is pretty bad, but its men on the other hand…"

Alexis listened quietly as her two sisters rambled on about things she didn't understand. Why was there so much hype over the E5-class and this one in particular? True they differed from the others due to their stainless steel design, but other than that they were just another early diesel design. With a roll of her orange eyes, the young Daylight pulled out of the roundhouse and towards the station, bidding her still chatting sisters goodbye with a few blows of her horn. The two Alco b-units watched her closely as she coupled up, but she paid them no mind. She was too busy mentally freaking out about as she recalled her sister's words. Murky swamps and _creatures_ that watch you silently, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Alexis took a few deep breaths, she wasn't sure if she could handle it. Oh how she wished Mariah were here or Marigold, or Antony. Hell she'd take Alyssa or Alison as long as someone was with her. Someone big and strong and wise...

"Calm down girl or you'll overload yourself." David said calmly. "What's got you so worked up?"

The E9 took another breath before responding, "The - - The creatures!" She stammered, "The ones in the swamps!"

Her driver chuckled. "Alexis, there's nothing in the swamp that can hurt you. You're bigger than a gator."

"G-gator? David what's a - -"

She didn't get an answer has he blew her horn a few times and released her brakes. Alexis gulped and resisted the urge to stop. Luckily the trip through the bayou would be delayed for a few hours as she was greeted with more Texas desert and humid air which mixed together and caused her to feel wet and gross as if she had just emerged from a hot shower. Alexis didn't like it and wished she were in one of the many air conditioned coaches that was trailing behind her.

_At least the passengers are comfortable, _she thought. And in the end, that's really all that mattered.

By the time she reached Houston the next morning, Alexis felt like dying. She was hot and sweaty and tired and so many other things. Her sisters were right, this route was horrible and she knew it was going to get worse. She could hear the two PB units behind her snickering at her suffering. This sucked, everything sucked. Why hadn't she listened to her sisters? The one time they were right about something and she chose not to listen, silly Ally!

She had about 20 minutes to recover from her terrible overnight journey and she was going to use that time to whine and bitch to David. She opened her mouth to call out to him once she saw him, but something else caught her eye. Across from her on the opposite side of the platform sat another engine in Daylight livery. It was an Alco PA, but she couldn't tell which version it was. Not that there was any external difference to begin with. She found herself examining his frame slowly from back to front, her orange irises not missing a single detail. But what drew her in further was his face and those eyes! They weren't a fiery color like Antony's but a burnt orange with just a hint of brown. They were like the sky during a sunset; Alexis had never seen a shade of orange quite like his. The male diesel must have had a feeling he was being watched as he stopped talking to the other PA to meet her gaze. It took her a few minutes to realize he was staring back at her, but once she did she quickly looked away. She bit her lip as she felt her cheeks redden. However the urge to look at him again became too much to ignore and she caved only to look away again.

Yup, he was still staring at her and now the other one was too. How embarrassing… and awkward. She had to admit though, the both of them were handsome and probably brothers. Alexis took the chance to look at the engine again. He had started talking to the other PA, probably talking about the weirdo E9 with the staring problem. Alexis mentally kicked herself.

_Good job Ally._ She scolded herself. _You really know how to reel them in._

Still she dared to gaze upon the PA Daylight again with a look of shame and his eyes met hers once more. The engine then presented Alexis with a soft smile. She gasped quietly; what a handsome smile. Once she picked her jaw off the tracks she gave him a shy and awkward version of what could be presumed as a smile. Now if only she could talk to him.

David approached Alexis to see what was going on and why she hadn't responded to anything he had said. His gaze followed hers until he spotted the two PAs. Immediately he frowned and went back into her cab to release her brakes. "Oh no you don't," he said as he turned up her throttle. "I am not going to let you turn into another PA-obsessing ninny like your sisters! Now let's go!"

"David!" was all the E9 could think to say as she was forcefully driven out of the station.

The two PAs watched Alexis leave, waiting until she was gone before speaking to one another again. "Wha' was wit zhe Soudern Pacific E9 girl wit de staring problem?" the one Alexis had been staring at asked.

"Ah do no' know mah broder." His brother replied. "Bu' ah have nevair seen her before. Perhaps she ees new to dis area an ees takin een de sights, so to speak?" He chuckled, "Satisfying her curiosity, no?"

"Perhaps you are righ' dear broder. Ah have nevair seen dis curious girl before eider. Mus' be her firs' time on de Sunse' Limite'." A thought suddenly struck him and he let out a low laugh. "You know how dose hoidy-toidy Soudern Pacific type jus' _hate_ pulling dat train."

Alexis' heart was still racing even long after they had left the Lone Star state. That engine… with the sunset eyes… he was _so_ handsome, so beautiful. Just thinking about him made her axles buckle and her engine rev with unfulfilled desire. She didn't know what she was feeling but she knew it was different from when she was with Antony or anyone else, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't like this new sensation. It was morning by the time she entered Louisiana and she was again at the mercy of southern sun when she reached New Orleans. She was too hot and too tired to take in the sights and sounds of the city, she just wanted to rest in the darkest, coldest berth she could find in the roundhouse. She took a quick look around to see how crowded the roundhouse was. There were quite a few diesels present and they were talking loudly in such a way that made Alexis wonder if it was even English or if she was too tired to process it. She backed herself into a space between two Southern Railway DL-107s.

The pair stopped their conversation and turned their green eyes to the tired E9. They had never seen one before and this far out? The furthest south an SP E-unit would go was Texas and yet, there one was. The one on Alexis' left arched an eyebrow out of interest. "What's a Southern Pacific E-unit doing out here?"

"She must have come all the way from California." Her sister responded with a kind smile. "The poor dear looks exhausted."

Exhausted was an understatement. Alexis had fallen asleep as soon as she came to a stop. Her driver stepped out of her cab to stroke her cheek after he'd powered her down. "You did good, girl." He whispered to her gently. "Enjoy your rest, you deserve it."

The young diesel let out a sigh of content but stayed asleep. As she slept, her mind went back to that Alco PA she saw the day prior. Boy was he handsome, very, very much so. She just couldn't get her mind off those eyes of his and that sweet smile. She then thought back to Mariah and what she had said about kissing and how happy Marigold was when Adrian kissed her. She wondered what it was like and, more importantly what it would be like if that PA she encountered back in Houston did it to her. She would definitely have to talk to him if she were to see him again. That or pray he'd come to her. There was more behind that smile, wasn't there?

The sounds of brass instruments, drums, and woodwinds brought Alexis out of her peaceful slumber a few hours later. The sounds of upbeat jazz were entangled with laughter, various amounts of yelling, and bad singing. This was all coming from the engines themselves as well. Alexis yawned tiredly as she glared at the noise makers, did they not have any manners?

"Well, well, well Daisy, look who woke up? Did you enjoy your beauty rest, dear?"

"We were wonderin' if you'd sleep through all this noise."

Alexis looked on either side of here to see the two DL-107s were speaking with her. She yawned again, "What's with the noise? Do these fools not know what time it is?"

The two old diesels laughed in unison. "Do you not know where you are, sweetie?" the one referred to as Daisy, asked.

"New Orleans?" Sarcasm could be detected in the E9's voice.

"Well yes but there's more to it than that, this city is a place known for its musical history and heritage."

"And its wild and crazy, late night parties." Her sister added, "And the engines who reside here are no exception. There's always _something_ going on somewhere. The people here don't need a reason to get to together and party, they just do it to do it."

Alexis sighed. She could barely rest during the day due to the heat and it was apparently too noisy to sleep during the night when she was supposed to. Well this sucked. She made another attempt to settle but it was awoken once more by the sound of trumpets and trombones going off. The E9 shut her eyes tightly as if trying to ward off an oncoming headache. Where was the yard manager when you needed one?

"So what brings you down this way, dear? SP's E-units don't go this far south from what I'm told."

"I offered to take the Sunset the rest of the way since the PAs who were weren't available for whatever reason."

"Interesting, you don't hear that one every day. Oh where are my manners! I'm Dixie and right beside you is my sister Daisy. We're a pair of Alco DL-107s built for the Southern Railway."

"The railway that serves the south," Daisy added.

"I'd like to think that would be obvious, sister. Though it is strange that we don't go to Texas…"

"We don't go to West Virginia either."

"Or Oklahoma and Arkansas…" Dixie paused briefly. "Well, we serve _most_ of the south."

Alexis chuckled lightly at the pair. "I'm Alexis; I suppose you already know what railway I'm from."

"That we do, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You have some pretty decent manners there, that's a good thing if you want to make it out here."

"Oh?"

"We're all about that sorta thing down here and most youngins' haven't learned such things, and often don't for a good long while. Besides actin' like a fresh off the assembly line hopper high on firewater don't look good in front of the men-folk. The men down here prefer a proper lady."

"Oh Dixie!" Daisy cut in with an exasperated eye roll. "This ain't the 1800s! Times have changed! Women these days want to work, be more than just a housewife. The past two world wars have proven as much and that we are capable of doing the same kind of jobs a man can. Men want a strong and assertive woman. One who isn't afraid to stand up for herself and shove him into the turntable pit!"

"That isn't what they want at all!"

"And how many men have _you_ been with since the war, sister?"

Dixie looked at Daisy with a mixture of shock and anger. A plume of exhaust shot from her fans. "The nerve!"

As the two sisters argued, Alexis took the opportunity to slip back into the darkness of her berth away from the yelling and noise. Though it didn't quiet down the two DL-107s much, it did quiet down the music enough for her to sleep. With a soft yawn, she allowed the softer tones of the instruments lull her back to sleep where her mind replayed the day's events, everything that she'd learned, and _him._

**A/N: Due to my own stupidity, I had forgotten that I had originally had the third GS E7 named "Marilyn" to go with the other "Mari" names. I've fixed that here and in the first chapter so from now on, Monica will be known as Marilyn.**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4 - C'est ça, l'amour_

'_Tu es ce que j'attendais,_

_Tu es mon rêve fou!'_

* * *

It had been a little over a week since Alexis' first trip to the south and she was still reeling, still reminiscing, still day dreaming of the ALCO PA in Daylight livery with the sunset-colored eyes and gentle smile. He plagued her thoughts and was with her in her dreams. Just thinking about him made her engine rev with an unimaginable need she didn't know she had. She still didn't know what was going on or why she was feeling this way, but her sisters knew. Her driver knew as well and he clearly didn't approve of his engine's recent behavior and consistent daydreaming.

The only thing that would really bring Alexis from her blissfully happy state was when Erika or one of her sisters was near. The two engines had been butting heads more often recently and it had escalated to the point in which Alexis had flat out called her an "Outdated Bitch." It was unheard of for her to swear but she felt good that she had done it. Unfortunately she had done more than just say it, she had _yelled_ it; and the SP bosses had just so happen to be in the yards and heard her. Though they were aware of the huge, gaping rift between steam and diesel, the higher ups expected their engines to be respectful towards each other at least during work hours. Alexis knew that and they knew she knew that and to make sure she remembered that, her owners happily took her out of Daylight service for the time being and gave her the _opportunity_ to learn what life was like for her _outdated_ co-workers by doing switching and light freight work.

And so the E9 sat off to the side a few days later, looking out of place at the Mission Bay freight yard in San Francisco awaiting her next assignment, covered in dirt and grime. It was very unappealing look for a Daylight engine. She sighed and wondered if she'd ever see the front end of a Daylight train again. After a bit more waiting, she came to the conclusion that no more assignments would be coming in anytime soon and decided a nap was in order. Exhaust plumed gently from her stacks and the revving of her engine softened as she started to settle. Her mind began to wander before thinking back to that PA-1. She wondered if he was even more dashing up close. The answer was probably. She wondered what he sounded like, if he was single. Was he as kind and gentle as the smile he gave her that day? And what would it be like to kiss him? Oh she hoped it was as amazing as her fantasizes played it out to be!

A soft smile formed on her lips as she pictured it all: a nice, warm, late spring evening with the setting sun turning the waters off the California coastline a glistening orange. He gazes deeply into her orange eyes as she looks back into his. There's a brief moment of pause before he leans in and…!

The loud sound of a nearby air horn startled her awake. Frowning, Alexis opened her eyes slightly and was greeted by a pair of silver irises staring back at her. It was Leliah, one of the Black Widow sisters. Her colorless gaze hardened and she blew her horn again, "Come along now, _Sun Child_! There's a shipment of auto racks that needs to get to the capital ASAP… _quickly_! Stop sitting on your axels and let's go!"

The E9 met the F7's glare with one of her own, but opted not to retaliate. She was in enough trouble as it is. Alexis waited for the shorter diesel to turn around before following her towards their train. She had encountered Leliah earlier in the year, she seemed quiet and often kept to herself if her sisters weren't present. Now that she had finally interacted her, she realized that she had been right about her being like the others… unfriendly. But perhaps she just upset that she had to deal with an out-of-place diesel for however long. One that had no idea what she was doing and wasn't built to pull freight in the first place. Alexis was going to give her the benefit of the doubt and figure it was that. Or perhaps she hadn't seen the Silver Chief in a while and it was making her cranky? She had overheard her E9 sisters talking about it, and they didn't like that an F7 was with an E5. Alexis never understood the reasons for it other than the obvious: it went against the social hierarchy and even so, what did it matter? It was no one's business but those involved. But still, if Chief was as high and as mighty as her sisters made him out to be, what got him to give an engine like Leliah even a passing glance?

"So…" Alexis began as the two coupled up to the train along with a B-unit. She waited for the F7 to respond but was ignored. "So!" she repeated louder than previously, "You're with that E5? Chief's his name right?"

The Black Widow jolted slightly. She hadn't expected any conversation nor did she want any. She _especially_ didn't want to discuss her relationship with an E-unit; the F7 was in no mood to be ridiculed. "That's none of your concern, _Daylight_." She hissed.

"You're right," Alexis continued. "It's not, and it's not anyone else's either."

"Never thought I'd agree with an E-unit, but you're right."

"They're not _all_ lacking in intelligence, sister." A monotonous voice said from behind.

"That's very true, Lethia… to some degree anyway." A smile became visible on the F7's face and she briefly forgot Alexis was there. "I cannot believe it sometimes myself, you know. Not a day goes by without me realizing how lucky I am to be with such an engine."

"We both are."

Leliah chuckled, "Yes. I didn't forget about his brother Warrior."

As she listened in, Alexis couldn't help but smile herself. "You really love him, don't you?"

"Of course! There is, nor will there be, another engine out there for me. We have been together for many, many years. He is my Silver Horizon. I am the blacken waters of the night and he is my moon, without him I cease to function. At the same time, without me he loses his mind. Why just last week…"

The E9's smile only widened as she listened to her cousin. She could only hope that one day she'd experience the type of love Leliah had for Chief and that he would in turn, be as dedicated to her as Leliah's _Silver Horizon_ was to her.

After a good two weeks of hauling freight from Sacramento to Los Angles and everywhere in-between, Alexis was back in Daylight service and back on her new favorite train: the Sunset Limited. However, she was forced to give the train over to the PAs once she reached El Paso and it irritated her to no end. She _had_ to get to Houston and see him again; she just had to but how? After a few days of thinking she got her chance one hot summer day in the Lone Star State when she spotted who she was going to being trading off with: Antony and his brother Apollo. She didn't know Apollo all that well, but she knew Antony and she _knew_ he liked her. She took a few moments to mentally prepare herself before rolling onto the track they were on.

_Alright Ally,_ she told herself. _Time to put on the charm._

"Afternoon boys." The E9 purred, "Fancy meeting you here."

The PA-2 blinked before a sly grin formed on his face. "Lexi… fancy meeting you here as well. Haven't seen you in a while, where have you been?"

"Oh I got into a bit of trouble for insulting a steamer, who completely deserved it, in front of the bosses." She chuckled, "No big deal really."

"Naughty girl," Antony teased. "You're turning into one of your sisters."

"Sometimes it's good to be bad." Alexis grinned a little herself, "Speaking of _bad_… how about you let me take that awful, disgusting hillbilly train for you?" She smiled at him as cutely as she possibly could, making sure to bat her eyelashes at him.

Her gestures caused the PA-2's engine to rev loudly, earning a few looks from the passengers and his driver. Still he did his best to keep his composure, "Lexi… you know this is a PA-only train from here on out. And I wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

His resistance was admirable but she wasn't going to give up. "But a big, strong engine like you shouldn't be pulling a train below your caliber. I'm sure you have better things to do."

"Why don't we pull it together, you and I? We can take Apollo off so we can be alone."

"Hey!" Came an angry voice from behind but it went ignored.

The E9 cringed at the possibility. The last thing Alexis wanted was to have him with her when she made it to Houston. There had to be a way to talk him out of it. She inched a little closer to him, bumping noses with him as she put on her best "sexy" face. "Please Antony… please? I wouldn't want you to break a sweat in this horrid Texas heat."

The sensation of their closeness sent a shiver down his body. His fans whirled loudly; his lips trembled with the desire to kiss her. Who knew this seemingly innocent E9 could be so… seductive? And Antony had no problem giving in to her charms, "OK…" he said finally.

"Antony!" his brother yelled, "What are you doing?!"

"Lexi's right, we shouldn't waste our energy with this train."

"Are you crazy? We're going to get in trouble!"

His brother didn't respond as they were removed from the Sunset and allowed Alexis to couple up. Though she failed to hide her wide grin, she thanked them for swapping spots with her. David however, was more unimpressed than anything with his engine's behavior. What made things worse was that he allowed it. Alexis ignored him though, she was going to see her crush and that's all that mattered. Her seduction of Antony left her feeling confident and strong, something she had never felt before. She felt like she could do anything! And the first thing she was going to do once she reached Houston was to go up to that attractive PA and talk to him. Maybe _he'd_ assist her the rest of the way to New Orleans. She'll ask him to join her and they'd tour the Big Easy and they'd fall in love and everything would be magical.

That is… until she reached Houston the following morning. As soon as she spotted him she returned to the shy, fumbling mess of an engine that she was. What made matters worse was that his brother was there… again. The two of them were extremely intimidating and she didn't like it. How could Mariah just go up to others and strike up a conversation? It was a characteristic she wished she had. Oh what was she thinking? She couldn't talk to men! She could barely talk to her sisters, let alone someone she didn't even know! How she managed to act that way with Antony was a spur of the moment thing. She couldn't bring herself to do it again; she didn't think she could anyway. But he was _soooo_ cute; she couldn't help but gaze at him from afar.

She then remembered the words of Daisy, one of the two Southern DL-107s she had met in New Orleans a few weeks ago:

"_Men want a strong and assertive woman. One who isn't afraid to stand up for herself and shove him into the turntable pit!"_

Right, she had to be assertive or she'd get nowhere and just be the creepy E9 stalker. Alexis looked around; there weren't that many engines at the station but they weren't alone either. Luckily for her, the PA was only a short distance away, meaning she didn't have to yell to get his attention. All she had to do was say hello. That wasn't so hard, right? Just say hello, a simple, one-worded greeting. As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, she immediately shut and looked away. Nope, couldn't do it. She was too nervous and too shy… and too afraid. David stood next to her on the platform as he watched his engine reduce herself to a nervous, quivering pile of tears. As much as he didn't like the idea of her having a crush, he hated seeing her so upset even more. And for a brief moment, he thought of his little sister. With a heavy sigh of defeat, he wandered away from Alexis towards the other platform where the PA with the sunset-colored eyes and his brother were.

If Alexis had seen where her driver had gone she would have screamed at him to come back, to not do what it looked like he was going to do. But she didn't. She was too busy shuddering on her axles with her eyes shut. Trying not to cry as it became obvious that she wasn't going to get the outcome she had been fantasizing about for an entire month. Suddenly, she felt the presence of another engine and by the soft whirling of its engine; it was more than likely a diesel of sorts. She looked up and was met with a pair of burnt orange eyes and a gentle smile. Alexis gasped; it was the PA, her crush and he was right in front of her! How long had he been there? Did he see her cry? Oh God she hoped not.

"Goo' mornin', Cheri." He spoke in a low, gentle tone. "Your drivair said you wanted to speak wit me?"

Alexis didn't respond right away. She was too busy trying to decipher that accent of his. What in the world was it? She hadn't heard that way of speaking before, but it sounded funny. The E9 bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stop from laughing, but she couldn't stop herself and began laughing loudly and hard.

The male diesel looked at her in confusion, "What ess so funny?"

Alexis snorted, "You." She managed to say before laughing again for a few seconds. "You talk funny."

"Ah talk like a Cazhun!" The smile that Alexis had loved quickly melted into a deep frown and a harsh glare. "Do you even know wha' da ees leetle city girl?"

Alexis nearly lost it, "Pff what?! Is that even English?"

"O' course eet ees English, leetle girl! 'Ave you nevarir heard a French accen' before?" The only response he got from her was another chorus of laughter which only fueled the PA's anger further. "Wha' ees so funny abou' how Ah speak? Dis ees how Ah have always spoken! Obviously you have nevair been to N'orleans before!"

"Yeah, I have been to _New Orleans_ before." Alexis corrected him. "What happened? Did they drop you at the shops?"

"No dey did no' dro' me at de shops you silly, eegnoran' girl! An' you have obviously nevair been to New _Orleans_, as you ridiculously say! Eef you ha' den you would know dat dey pronounce eet New _Awlons_!"

The E9 rolled her orange eyes in annoyance. "You don't know where I've been, farm boy. Anyone with half a brain would know that's not how you say it, and that hillbilly gibberish you're spewing is _not_ proper English, if it can be considered English at all."

"Oh eet ees English sistair." The male diesel retorted. "Jus' no' de type you hoidy-toidy SP types are used to hearing. Were you from de sout' you woul' know dis!"

"And thank the Lord for that. This place is horrible with horrible weather and horrible engines with terrible speech impediments. What makes it worse is seeing a non-SP engine as yourself in _my_ railway's colors. The nerve!"

"An' **dat** proves what leetle you know abou' de railroa' you serve. De Sain' Louis an' Southwestern has been a subsidiary of de SP for decades! We are jus' as entitle' do wear de Dayligh' colairs as you are! An' we wear dem proudly! Not snootily an' uppity as your kin' do!"

As the two went back and forth, David was off to the side pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew this was a bad idea and that nothing good would come from it. He felt stupid for even trying. However he hadn't expected the outcome to be this negative, or loud and angry.

"Oh B.S. indeed!" Alexis fired back, "You know, you were a lot cuter when you were quiet... and on the other side of the station."

"An' you were a lo' cuter when you were een California!"

The record playing in Alexis' mind suddenly cut off. "What? Y-you think I'm cute?!"

"Of course ah do, Cheri." The PA revealed. "I tought you were cute whe' you coul' no' stop staring at me an' were trying to get up de nerve to speak to me, Ah foun' eet mos' charming." He smiled at her, "Ah am very surprise' an' delighted dat you have even taken de time to speak wit me, Cheri. Mos' of your sistairs do no' even give us Cotton Bel' engines de time of day eef we ask for eet."

His words made her go red in the face with embarrassment. She was still having trouble understanding him, but she got the gist of it. "Oh… well I… um…" Alexis quickly stopped herself from stammering further and looked up at him in shy admiration. "You're really pretty." It was all she could think to say.

"Pretty?" He chuckled, "Ah don' tink ah have evair been called pretty before. Interestin' choice of words Cheri, bu' ah tank you for dem all de same."

"Well it's true...! You have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen. Like the sky when the sun sets."

"An' your eyes Cheri are as intense as a raging fire." Once he figured he'd embarrassed her enough, the male diesel decided to cut to the chase. "We have spen' so much time arguing wit each odair dat Ah nevair tought Ah woul' evair ge' to say how much I wante' to take you out on a date."

The needle came off the record again in Alexis' mind. "…What?" Had she heard him correctly?

"You heard wha' Ah said, Cheri. Ah woul' love to give you personal tour of N'Awlons. Eet ees a wonderful city when you ge' to know what gives eet life. An' Ah would like to give you a life dat perhaps until dis momen' you have only been _dreaming_ of." Before Alexis knew what was happening, he'd lunged forward and proceeded to kiss her on the lips. And the sensation was everything the young E9 had hoped and dreamed it would be.


End file.
